A conversation with Raphael Vanoli

Raphael Vanoli at the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ (photo by Maarten Jüngen

Tonight the trio Fennesz/Dafeldecker/Brandlmayr will make their debut performance at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam. The three usual suspects from the Viennese improv scene have collaborated before on a project with David Sylvian. Christian Fennesz has made name for himself, with solo albums that are exemplary for contemporary electronic music.

This incredible trio will be supported by experimental guitarist Raphael Vanoli of the internationally renowned experimental rock duo Knalpot. Here is a brief introduction to one of the most imaginative composers of his generation.

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Colin Stetson review in Trouw

A lovely composed review of Colin Stetson’s performance at the Bimhuis of last Thursday in national newspaper Trouw.

More people than seats

Last night saxophone powerhouse Colin Stetson made his Bimhuis debut, sharing the bill with the monumental Alexander Von Schlippenbach Trio. With more people in the audience than seats in the room, this special improvised music edition of Viral Radio was not just a success for the forwardist music aficionado, but also for the venue’s treasurer.

Here’s a small impression of Colin Stetson’s performance. The next edition of Viral Radio at the Bimhuis is on 21 December. We will end the year with another favourite trio: Fennesz/Dafeldecker/Brandlmayr. They will be supported by local guitar prodigy Raphael Vanoli of Knalpot fame, and a DJ cameo by his partner Gerri Jäger.

Join us for Colin Stetson at Bimhuis

We are delighted to present internationally acclaimed saxophonist Colin Stetson for the first time at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam tonight. He will join one of the most amazing avantgarde bands of the past 40 years, the Alexander Von Schlippenbach Trio, with Evan Parker (saxophone), Paul Lovens (drums) and Alexander Von Schlippenbach (piano). This is a synthesis of breathtaking music of past and future.

We would like to invite you to join us at this monumental concert in our favourite jazz club this side of Sirius. If you send us an e-mail you will only pay 14 euros instead of 20. We look forward to seeing you tonight.

Update:

Here is an old post I wrote on witnessing Evan Parker playing with Squarepusher in 2007 that might help you in your decision to travel to see tonight’s show.

Social weather

The ubiquitous use of mobile devices to document and distribute our daily activities in a never-ending stream of updates, checkins, tweets and retweets is generating an ever-expanding biosphere of social information.

This advancing ecosystem is growing into an adaptive system of informational weather. Technologist Ben Hammersley calls it ‘social weather’: “I want to feel my friends like I feel the weather.”

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Ben Frost and Tim Hecker at Bimhuis receives 4/5 review in De Volkskrant

“Hecker accomplishes something special. He makes music for which you switch of one sense to make space for another.” De Volkskrant

On Sunday 1 May Canadian artist-academic Tim Hecker and Iceland based composer Australian Ben Frost performed for the first time at Viral Radio at the Bimhuis, Amsterdam’s renowned venue for jazz, improvised and experimental music. On one of the most difficult days on the Dutch calendar – 1 May is one day after national holiday Queen’s Day – and with a full terrace on the water outside in the sun, close to 300 people visited one of our most anticipated events this year.

Both artists performed powerful sets of evocative music from their recent albums Ravedeath, 1972 and By The Throat. National newspaper De Volkskrant published a raving review by Gijsbert Kamer, who rated the performances a 4/5. “

Tim Hecker joins Ben Frost at Bimhuis

“Foreboding, abstract pieces in which static and sub-bass rumbles open up around slow moving notes and chords, like fissures in the earth waiting to swallow them whole.” The New York Times.

We are delighted to announce that Canadian-based musician and sound artist Tim Hecker will join Ben Frost for a live performance at Viral Radio at Bimhuis, on Sunday 1 May. Since 1996, Tim Hecker has produced a range of audio works for Kranky, Alien8, Mille Plateaux, Room40, Force Inc, Staalplaat, and Fat Cat. His works have been described as “structured ambient”, “tectonic color plates” and “cathedral electronic music”. More to the point, he has focused on exploring the intersection of noise, dissonance and melody, fostering an approach to songcraft which is both physical and emotive. His Harmony in Ultraviolet received critical acclaim, including being recognized by Pitchfork as a top recording of 2006. Radio Amor was also recognized as a key recording of 2003 by Wire magazine. His work has also included commissions for contemporary dance, sound-art installations, minimal techo works under the name ‘Jetone’, as well as various writings. Tim has presented his work in a live setting around the world, including performances at Sonar (Barcelona), Mutek (Montreal), Primavera Sound (Barcelona), Victoriaville (Quebec), Vancouver New Music Festival (Vancouver), and Transmediale (Berlin). He currently resides in Montreal.

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“Utterly brilliant” Ben Frost is brought to Bimhuis at last

We are pleased to announce that one of the outstanding electronic music composers of his generation Ben Frost will come to Amsterdam for a live performance at the Bimhuis during Viral Radio. As our good friend Scott McMillan puts it, his music “is horrible. Horrible in its lesser-used sense in which it means ‘utterly brilliant’.” And utterly brilliant he is also according to Wire Magazine, who described his recent album By The Throat as “(d)efiantly new, and distinctively dramatic… a feeling of proximity to overwhelming power… all-encompassing and eerily real. (BY THE THROAT) is a sharp-edged Hi-Def encounter with the dangerously sublime.”

We are immensely excited about the prospect of hearing one of our favourite musicians playing at one our favourite music venues in the world. Tickets will be available via Bimhuis, Rush Hour and Concerto soon, as well as online. Please join the event on Facebook, or visit the Bimhuis website for more information.

Viral Radio 4 Year Anniversary

On Saturday 19 March Viral Radio celebrates its 4 year anniversary at Amsterdam’s legendary underground music venue OT301. On the line up a special selection of first time performers Om Unit and Illum Sphere, who will make their debut in the Netherlands, and all time favourite artists Raphael Vanoli (Knalpot), Datcho (Viral Radio), Cinnaman (Viral Radio) and Non-fiction’s Juha.

In the 4 years since Viral Radio began, it has grown into one of the Netherlands’ most recognized vehicles for innovative electronic music. It has presented a generation of experimental bass and rhythm music at festivals as North Sea Jazz, Exit Festival and Appelsap, and it has connected musicians and audiences of different generations at renowned institutions as Bimhuis, Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ and the TrouwAmsterdam.

This event starts at 9 pm with champagne, cake, and a world premiere: a solo performance of electroacoustic improviser Raphael Vanoli of Knalpot. Tickets are 5 euros before 10, and 7.50 afterwards. Join us on Facebook and Last.fm, but more importantly, at OT301 on 19 March. We look forward to celebrating with you.

Oval, Phonophani and Mike Slott at the Bimhuis tonight

After the recent success of the sold out Viral Radio Festival 2010, Bimhuis and Viral Radio present Hyperrhythm, a programme with more innovative electronic music. The first edition of Hyperrhythm took place at this year’s North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam. Then, Dimlite, Dorian Concept, Hudson Mohawke and Mike Slott played impeccable sets.

This Thursday, Oval (Thrilljockey, Berlin), Phonophani (Rune Grammofon, Tromsø) and Mike Slott (LuckyMe, New York) will play new work. Markus ‘Oval’ Popp is one of the main artists of the glitch movement, in which technical hitches and glitches are used as musical building blocks. Sound artist Espen Sommer Eide makes his solo debut in the Netherlands as Phonophani. Previously he has performed with Alog and he has collaborated with Biosphere and Pierre Bastien. Read an interview with him by Juha. Mike Slott made his debut at the Bimhuis alongside Dimlite and Take during Beat Dimensions at the Amsterdam Dance Event in 2008. He is the musical sibling of Hudson Mohawke, Rustie and American Men. Non-fiction’s Juha will set the perimeters with rhythmic abstractions.

The programme starts at 9 pm sharp, and tickets are still available at the door. We look forward to seeing you here tonight.

Oval – Ah! from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.